frayed at the edge

Please take a seat

I'm not the only one who has been busy with material things this week.  Recently I bought a fabulous remnant of furnishing fabric (it was so cheap, as we left the shop Malcolm said 'quick, run, before she realises how little she charged you'!!).  So, on Monday, Malcolm put the fabric to good use, recovering our two big chairs in the back lounge.  The chairs occupants seem to be pleased with the results ....... first the girls

 

 

..... and then the boys

 

 

Recently I haven't been buying as many knitting magazines, but this one found its way into my trolley in the supermarket on Monday

 

 

It came with two frre gifts, but I nearly didn't get one ...... the knitting pattern, as Malcolm thought is was just packaging and was on his way to put it in the recycling

 

However, after I had read the pattern, I put it in the recycling ..... because all it amounted to was cast on, knit the required length in garter stitch, cast off!  Did you notice the pattern in the top left corner of the magazine cover ....... I said to Malcolm I would knit it for him - on condition that he then looked like the handsome male model.  I won't tell you what his reply was!!

 

Well, it's Friday again, and I am almost embarrassed to show you more cakes, after the amount that has been featured this week.  Annette didn't bake us a cake this week, but she popped into a local business which produces wonderful cakes, and bought the same two that she bought for us recently

 

a lovely rich fruit cake

 

 

raspberry and white chocolate

 

When I stood on the scales this morning, I had to steel myself to look down ...... but to my delight, I saw that I have lost half a pound this week.  Maybe I should just have a cake diet!

It has been wet and very windy today, but hopefully it will improve for the weekend and we will get out for a walk on Sunday.  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

Don't blog with your mouth full!

Just because all our delicious goodies that Rachel gave us were theoretically freezable, didn't actually mean that they all went into the freezer ....... some were kept out to be enjoyed over the course of today (I didn't freeze the gingerbread, as I know that it will keep well for the few days it will take for us to eat it)  Such wonderful treats deserved to be put on a special plate, and I got out another of my Granny's embroidered traycloths. 

 

 

Like the other traycloth, this one is also very old.  I can remember it being in regular use during my childhood - and it just went in the washing machine with the rest of the washing.  The only special treatment it got was to be ironed on the wrong side, so that the embroidery didn't get flattened.

 

 

We had the cupcakes with our morning cuppa - we had half each of the two flavours ...... marmalade and raspberry jam - delicious

 

 

We shared the biscuit after lunch (choc chip, with, we decided, a hint of lemon).  The gingerbread was guzzled eaten with our afternoon cuppa - I spread it with the remains of the lemon curd ...... it was so delicious I will have to make another batch to have with the rest of the gingerbread!

Rachel modelled her new socks yesterday, so I thought I would show you my latest pair - but they are rather plain and uninteresting compared to hers

 

 

I finished knitting the basket last night - I had got a lot done in the car yesterday

 

 

I pinned it together and put some books in it, to give you an idea of how it will look

 

 

Over the weekend, I will block it, then make a lining - I am sure I'll be able to find suitable fabric in my stash!  So it should be finished by Sunday night, and I can start the next project on Monday.

Two adventures

 

I didn't have far to go last night for my first adventure - just down the road to Southdea village Hall, where I was Guest Speaker at the Rural (the Scottish version of the WI).  It is only a small group - and I used to be a member, so I wasn't too nervous!

 

they are looking at the Chairman, as she welcomes me

 

I knew they wouldn't be particularly interested in the technical ins and outs of quilting, so I just took along a big pile of quilts and wallhangings and blethered about them!

 

 

Then it was time for supper - never mind the savoury things, just feast your eyes on this gooey chocolate cake!

 

 

My last duty of the evening was to judge the two competitions.  First, choosing my favourite three brooches from the lovely collection that the ladies had brought along

 

 

Then, judging the knitted squares

 

 

This morning, we set off for Newcastle for the second adventure.  Now, you know we can't travel for more than five minutes without having to stop for a cuppa!  So when we got ot Belsay, we stopped here

 

 

When Malcolm ordered our cuppa, he somehow managed to order a cherry scone for us to share as well

 

 

I was lovely and warm, sitting in front of the stove - but on closer inspection it turned out to be a gas one!

 

 

Then, it was on to the The Biscuit factory

 

 

We were there to have lunch with Rachel, and to give her her socks.  While we waited for her to arrive, we had a look at the menu, and tried to ignore the special offer chocolate fondue!

 

 

When Rachel arrived, the socks were duly admired, then the food was ordered ........

 

a chicken pesto roll for Malcolm, broccoli and stilton soup for me

 

 

an egg mayo roll for Rachel

 

Having polished off that lot, we then went off to Rachel's house for pudding - a wonderful pear tart!

 

 

Then, the absolute highlight of both adventures ....... getting to meet the gorgeous Flossie

 

 

and the absolutely fabulous Tosca

 

 

There was one more delight to come - in return for my knitting skills, Rachel had used her baking skills to make these yummy treats for us

 

biscuits, two kinds of muffins - and the parcel at the front was unwrapped to reveal

 

 

the most wonderful rich, dark gingerbread

 

ps - don't worry, we won't be gorging ourselves, Rachel assured me that it can all be frozen!

 

 

When life gives you lemons .......

....... make lemon curd!!  When I did the weekly food shop yesterday, as always I bought lots of fruit

 

 

But before I could put the new fruit in, I had to remove three slightly sorry lemons from the bottom of the bowl.  I was wondering what I could do with them, when I thought 'I'll have a go at making lemon curd'.  Not having the least idea how to make it, I turned to my favourite Delia book, and quickly assembled the ingredients

 

 

The recipe turned out to be very simple, and I had soon done the first stage, adding the grated lemon zest to the caster sugar, beating together the eggs and lemon juice and cutting the butter into pieces

 

 

It all then went into one bowl, which I put over a saucepan of barely simmering water

 

 

Then it was just a matter of stirring it until it thickened

 

 

So guess what we had for breakfast this morning ......... tasty soda bread

 

 

spread with lemon curd - delicious!

 

 

Now that I have mastered lemon curd, I will have to make some more, for one of the recipes in this excellent book, which I bought on Sunday

 

 

The book is being sold in aid of the same good cause as last year's naked man calendar.  So, the recipe using lemon curd?  I will have to invite lots of visitors to help eat it!

 

 

This morning, I took the socks out to the studio to wrap them

 

 

I added a little extra parcel for Vee, then popped them into an airmail envelope, ready to send off to Canada

 

 

When I went to the Post Office, the woman who served me told me that I would have to write my name and address on the top left hand corner on the front of the envelope (I always put it on the back).  She said that Canada is the only country who insist on this, and have been known to return items which don't comply ....... strange!!  As I left the Post Office, there was a great deal of noise ...... which was coming from this machine trundling along and holding up all the traffic

 

 

When I was out in the garden this morning, my eye was caught by a little flash of colour under one of the shrubs - which shouldn't be hanging over the front of the border like this, it was flattened by the snow which came off the neighbour's roof

 

 

It turned out to be a little polyanthus

 

 

I made a start to the first knitting project last night

 

The hole is one of the handles of the basket, and the two extensions will become the sides.  However, I won't get any work done on it tonight, as I am going out.  I will tell you all about it tomorrow ....... and I will also tell you about the special day out that we have planned!